Status for Jury Duty

Jurors do not need to report for jury duty on Wednesday, Dec 12, 2018. The jury trial has been canceled.

We thank you for your willingness to serve.

Often a jury trial is canceled up to the call of the calendar. Please re-visit this site before appearing for jury duty or call 425-670-5529 for a recorded message.

Mission Statement

To contribute to the quality of life in our community by fairly and impartially administering justice in such a manner that preserves both the dignity and rights of the defendant as well as the citizens of Lynnwood.

Message from Judge Stephen E Moore:

Lynnwood Municipal Court exists to serve the community of Lynnwood. State law does not require cities and towns to have their own courts; they are free to use state and county courts instead. Lynnwood chooses to have its own municipal court. Lynnwood has its own court because it is more convenient to citizens in this community and because the council and mayor believe that justice is better served by a court in and for the city.

The overriding value which drives Lynnwood Municipal Court is customer service. It is sometimes difficult for people who’ve been issued a traffic ticket or charged with a crime to think of themselves as “customers” but they are. Some of the court’s customers are not particularly happy about availing themselves of the court’s services. In this sense, the court differs significantly from an ice-cream parlour or a candy store; most people are not pleased to be drawn into the business of the court.

Courts have to exist; so long as people continue to make mistakes and be charged with infractions or crimes, courts must be open to decide what to do with those charges. The court’s goal is to do this as pleasantly as possible.

Sometimes people come into court upset with the law under which they have been charged. Courts neither enact nor amend laws – that’s the business of the state legislature and the city council – and cannot disregard or ignore a law, just because the judge doesn’t like it or think it is unwise.

Sometimes people come into court upset with the police. The police do not work for the court. The court is part of the judicial branch of government; the police are part of the executive branch of government.

Sometimes people come into court upset with the prosecutor. The prosecutor does not work for the court. The court is part of the judicial branch of government; the prosecutor is part of the executive branch of government.

Sometimes people come into court upset with the public defender. The public defender does not work for the court. The city retains a private firm of lawyers who specialize in criminal defense to provide services to accused people.

What the court does do is respond to traffic tickets (both civil infractions like speeding or parking in a fire zone and electronic tickets like photo-red stoplight citations) and to criminal charges filed by the police or prosecutor. The most common criminal offenses charged in Lynnwood Municipal Court are driving while under the influence, theft (shoplifting) and domestic violence.

The court holds hearings/trials to decide whether or not a person actually committed the offense charged.

Some people convicted of criminal offenses are placed on probation for a period of time and compelled to seek help with problems like drug addiction, alcohol abuse or anger management. Some people are fined. Some serve jail time. The goal of all of this is to correct behavior – to make Lynnwood a better, safer, healthier place to live, work, shop and visit.

Whether you are involved with the court as a respondent, a defendant, a witness, a victim, a juror or just an interested member of the public, you may expect to be treated with professionalism and respect.